The Gods Intervene
by nada surf
Summary: i just felt that the movie troy needed a happier ending...my story will not start out happy but it will end happy...
1. Chapter 1

I just watched troy and i was like well i want a happy ending...

I watched troy burn with tears streaming down my face. I was not crying for troy. I was crying for him. He saved me so many times, yet I could not save him. I had to leave him to die. Suddenly a voice called me out of my thoughts. I turned towards the voice. "Briseis?" It was my brother, Paris.

"Briseis, come away from this atrocious sight. Helen and Andromache are preparing dinner. Why don't you go help them?"

I sighed and struggled to my feet. They had gone numb from sitting so long. As I walked towards the women, I could feel their harsh gaze upon me. I did not feel angry anymore. I understood their hate.

I fell in love with the man who killed my eldest brother, the crown prince of troy, and one of the greatest warriors in the world. His wife's gaze was the harshest. She blamed me for the destruction of troy even though the true reason was standing right beside her.

Paris urged me on, thinking only of his wife. Helen. The true cause of all of this madness and terror. I hated her for bringing this down upon us, but thanked her for setting in motion the meeting of my soul mate.

Finally I reached the women. No one called out to greet me. I did not care. I walked towards the food and began chopping vegetables, ignoring their stares. Paris smiled ignorantly, his task complete.

He walked over to his wife and spoke softly to her. Under the veil of my hair I could see her glance flickering back and forth between Andromache and me. Paris merely believed I was letting my emotions get the best of me, as women usually do.

He thought my place was in the kitchen, but I would rather finish watching my former home burn to the ground. I tried to tell myself that that was all I was watching, but I knew in my heart that I was watching for a sign of him.

An individual pyre. A funeral procession. Anything that would tell me his fate. So far there was nothing. Suddenly I felt stifled, as if the room had lost its air. I could still feel their gazes.

I turned away from them and ran out the door to the meadows. I remembered the way from long ago, playing here with my brothers as a child.

The Greeks did not know of the secret passageway that led to the trails and caves behind the city. They also did know of the second storehouse, built like a fort in case of sacking.

Paris knew and gathered as many people as he could. He led us to this place and since then I have been watching. It has been 3 days since the invasion and still Troy burns.

I sat in the meadows, my head on my drawn up knees, fingering the shell necklace he gave me. I still remember the warmth of his hand enclosing mine as he dropped it into my palm.

I knew his mother had made it for him and he had given it to Patroclus, his cousin. Patroclus had been killed by hector, which thought it was Achilles.

His name sent a sharp stab of pain through my heart. I doubled over and grasped my stomach, gasping for air. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned, still trying to catch my breath.

It was a young girl. I didn't know her or remember her from the group of refugees. She smiled down at me and held out her hand. I smiled back tentatively and using her hand stood up.

She said nothing but with hand gestures led me to a cave I had not seen before. Inside there was an alter to the goddess Athena.

Seeing her figure, my tears renewed themselves. Athena was his patron. People say that in the battle with hector, she had helped him by breaking Hectors spear.

The girl kneeled at the altar's base and turned to me, gesturing me forward. I stepped forward and kneeled next to her. She took my hand and placed it on the altar and then on my stomach.

I shook my head signaling that I didn't understand. She did it again, this time making a circular motion in front of my belly. I finally got it. I was pregnant!

look for more later! and please review


	2. Trapped

yay for the second installment!

"I'm pregnant?" I whispered. The girl nodded and pointed to Athena. "It is a gift from Athena?" Again the girl nodded. I placed my hands on my stomach. Suddenly a gust of wind blew through the cave and I looked up.

The girl was gone but in her place was a lit candle. I smiled and put the candle on the alter, silently thanking Athena for her wondrous gift.

I got up and walked to the mouth of the cave. I could see our settlement and knew that raising a child of Achilles there would not be allowed. So I looked to the west.

It was mostly open meadows and then went to the coast. It would not be entirely safe, but I needed to get away.

I needed supplies and clothes, so I went quickly to the storehouse and found a bag light enough to carry on my shoulders with some clothes and food in it.

I had no money, but I had the jewelry I was wearing the night of the invasion and that alone would keep my baby and me alive for a while. I smiled as I thought my baby. I wondered if it would be a large boy like his father or a girl like me.

Hearing voices I shoved the thoughts aside and escaped out the door. Paris might be worried, but Helen is sure to sooth him. I walked past the cave and into the open meadow.

As I walked I didn't realize how late in the day was. The sky had begun to darken as night fell.

I knew I wouldn't be able to make the journey across the plains in the night, so I found a small cave and began to make food. As I started a fire, I heard some rustling and whispering at the mouth of the cave.

I froze, hoping it was someone from the settlement that had followed me. My hopes were dashed when three men carrying swords walked into the cave.

They wore the clothing of the hill tribes that lived beyond Troy's borders. They were not known for their hospitality to strangers, let alone Trojans.

I put out the fire and reached for my bag. It in was a small hunting knife I had brought just in case. I slid it out and palmed it, waiting for the men to come closer and see me.

One of them held a torch. I moved farther away from the light, but my scrabbling loosened some rocks and the men turned in my direction at the noise.

I held my breath hoping they would not see me in the dark, but the one holding the torch stepped closer and illuminated me.

The other two men grinned, as they looked me over, letting their eyes rest on my chest and face. One of them noticed my shell necklace. His eyes gleamed.

My hand unconsciously grasped the necklace, trying to hide it from their view.

One man spoke to me in a guttural language. I shook my head, showing I did not understand. The one holding the torch stepped closer and as he did, I brandished my knife.

"Do not think to touch me sir!" He pulled back surprised. The other men looked at him, uncertainly, their swords pointed at me. Suddenly the man smiled. "You are a Trojan, are you not?" I gasped as he spoke my language.

He waited for my answer. "No I am just a peasant living in these hills." He laughed and gestured for his friends to come closer.

"I do not think so, my sweet. Your manner of speaking and clothing belong more to Trojan nobility then a countryside peasant. And of course, your necklace. No peasant would have that and still call themselves a peasant. Now put down the knife and you will not be harmed."

I shivered at his tone and knew he was lying.

As the men came closer, I lunged at one of them. My small knife embedded itself in his chest.

The man fell back clutching at the knife. The other men looked down in surprise. As their attention was diverted, I tried to escape but the one with the torch caught me and threw me against the cave wall.

"Ah ah ah, my sweet. That was not a good choice to make. I was going to spare your life and keep you as a slave, but now I am going to sell you." I whimpered softly as his hands around my neck tightened.

One loosened its grip and flew at my face before I could react. His closed fist smashed into my temple with the weight of a horse. Blackness overtook my vision.


	3. Awakening

So yay for the next chapter!

I could see the fist coming at her face as though I was right next to her, but I could do nothing. I watched helplessly as she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

I roared my anger, but no one could hear me. It felt as though something was holding me down and I could not fight it off. As the men advanced on Briseis, the vision began to waver and melt.

I tried to call out, but it went dark and I opened my eyes, coming face to face with Odysseus. "Achilles, are you with us?" I blinked and tried to sit up. It was then that I saw the men holding my arms and legs.

They noticed my gaze and removed their grasp. I sat up and tried to talk, but my throat was dry. I motioned for water and Odysseus handed me a cup.

I drank deeply, letting the cool liquid run down my throat. I drained the cup and then tried speaking.

"How long?" Odysseus's eyes brightened at the sound of my voice, but they dimmed when he heard my question. "Three months." I gaped at him.

"Three months I have been asleep? How is that possible? I only took a few arrows to the chest."

Odysseus smiled at my last statement.

"You may have only took a few arrows sir, but two of them pierced your lung and one came much too close to your heart. It seemed as though we had lost you for a few minutes, but you suddenly called out and began breathing. We convinced Agamemnon to call in a physician for you and he managed to repair your lung. However you were not able to wake up. The physician said it was because even though your body had healed, your mind had not fully come back from the dark lands."

Achilles nodded. The contents of the vision were still fresh on his mind. He had felt Briseis's pain as though it was his own and he knew he must find her before she came to more harm.

"The surviving Trojans. Do we know where they went?" Odysseus looked at him blankly.

"I was not aware there were surviving Trojans other then the ones we have as slaves. How do you know this?" As he asked, the answer dawned upon him.

"Ahhh the little Trojan priestess you were harboring. We presumed she had died and been burned up in the fire. We had hoped to find the sniveling weakling prince that shot you down, but we also thought he got caught in the fires. It seems as though we were wrong. Do you know where they went?"

I shook my head. Odysseus sighed and rose from his seat. The other men in the room followed suit.

"Well now that you are awake, I will leave you. There are clothes laid out and food in the adjoining room. I will hope to see you soon." He nodded and left, the men following him.

I waited until I heard the door lock to get out of the bed. As I did, I looked around.

I seemed to be in a house or palace or some sort. Looking down I realized I was naked except for a loincloth. Making my way to the next room, I found a bronze mirror and looked at my wounds.

They had healed over and were now pink scars. They matched the various other ones, spread throughout my body. I smiled as I remember Briseis mapping them out.

When she would find one, she would run her fingers over it as if it would disappear. When she would find a particularly deep or long one she would replace her fingers with her tongue.

I shivered as I remembered that long night. It was the next day that I discovered Patroclus had been killed.

It seemed so strange to go from being ecstatically happy to blinding rage in a moment after hearing one sentence. My countenance darkened as I remembered what happened after I heard about the death.

Briseis had come after me trying to stop my blows on my guard.

Instead of listening to her pleas, I choked her, stifling her words. Her pain stricken face flashed through my mind and I groaned as a hot knife of pain speared my heart.

The bruises on her neck had still been noticeable when he had seen her last and knowing he had caused them made his guilt all the more tangible.

When they had last seen each other their time was short and I had only enough time to enrage her cousin and tell her how peaceful she made me. Then she and her cousin ran off into a secret corridor leading out of troy and to their freedom.

I had believed that that would be the last time I saw her until she joined me in the next world, but it would appear that I am wrong. We are both alive and well and now I must go find her and marry her.

I stopped dressing. _Marry her,_ I thought. But the words sounded right. So I strapped on my sword and went out of the room to find Odysseus and find a way out of troy.

yay for achilles! please review...


	4. Unlikely Salvation

again sorry for the wait! life has been crazy and school just doesn't help..anyway here is something to hold you over for a while...more is coming!

Briseis POV

I awoke with a pounding headache. I reached a hand up to my temple and it came away sticky and wet.

I knew it was blood. My eyes cleared and I took in my surroundings. I was in a cell illuminated only by a sputtering lamp. I tried to move about but found my wrists chained to the floor. I struggled for a minute, but realized it was futile.

Just as I was drifting back into unconsciousness, I heard a door open. Suddenly the room lit up as the door opened and revealed two men. One of them I recognized from the cave but the other was new. He was well dressed and did not look like a tribesman from the hills.

They came closer to me and I tried to scoot away, but the chains kept me in place.

The man I knew bent down and roughly took my face into his hands. I tried to turn away, but his grip was too strong. He motioned to the other man and he bent down. His eyes roved over my body, stopping at my hair and face. He turned to the other man and motioned for him to follow him out of the cell.

I edged as close as the chains would allow to the door. I could barely hear their voices, but they were speaking Greek so I could understand them.

"Where did you find the girl"? It took the other man a little while to answer the nobleman's question.

"My men and I came upon her in a cave near a Trojan settlement. She did not have much on her, but she did have some good jewelry in her bag."

The nobleman huffed in annoyance. "Show me the jewelry and the rest of her belongings. I think I recognize her." The tribesmen were silent, but I could hear his retreating footsteps.

Suddenly I heard footsteps coming closer to the door. I shrank back as far as I could and the door opened to reveal the nobleman.

He crossed the floor to where I was sitting and kneeled down in front of me.

"Do you know who I am?"

His voice was quiet but penetrating. His eyes bore into mine, searching for the answer. I shook my head, unable to answer.

"My name is Diomedes and I fought with Achilles in troy. It is hard to tell under all of that dirt and grime, but you have some resemblance to the woman he harbored."

I felt my breath leave my body as he mentioned Achilles and my hands ached to cover my belly to protect my growing child.

His eyes noticed my frightened face and I tried to shrink farther back, but the chains kept me back.

I realized he wouldn't leave without answer, so I decided to give him the truth.

"My name is Briseis and yes I was the woman with Achilles. After his death, I escaped with the other Trojans and up until recently was living with them. Then I was captured and brought here."

Diomedes nodded and sighed when I mentioned Achilles' death.

"Briseis have you been able to have outside contact?"

I shook my head. "No...Why? We have some communication with the surrounding villages, but news from bordering countries and lands across the sea is not available yet."

Diomedes smiled sadly.

"Briseis, please stay calm when I tell you this. Achilles didn't die when he was shot with the arrows. He is very much alive and still in troy."

I couldn't hear my heart anymore. My vision swam before my eyes and the last thing I saw was Diomedes's surprised face as I fainted. He called out for help and a guard came in.

I tried to open my eyes and tell them I was all right, but my body felt as though it was filled with sand. I felt myself being lifted into strong arms and carried somewhere.

Eventually I regained consciousness and when I opened my eyes, I found myself in a new chamber not even remotely resembling a prison.

I sat up from the bed and looked around trying to find out where I was. I stepped off the bed and just as my feet touched the floor, Diomedes walked in.

"Ahh I see you are awake. You frightened me for a moment there. I am not used to fainting women."

He smiled and I shyly smiled back.

"Where am I", I asked quietly.

Diomedes sighed and turned away from me.

"You are in Sparta. My men found you in the mountains and brought you onto our ship. I didn't see you until we reached Sparta. I have sent word back to Troy to let Achilles know you are with me and hopefully he will be here soon fully healed."

Briseis could only stare at Diomedes in shock, still not comprehending Achilles being alive and now her being in Sparta.

"Thank you for this Diomedes. I am in your debt. However, I fear that Achilles will not come. Now that he has his life back and troy has fallen, he will become a great king and need to marry someone of importance, not a fallen princess turned slave."

She looked away and Diomedes saw the tears streaming down her face.

"Briseis I think you know as well as I do that Achilles would never leave you, especially in your current condition."

Briseis looked up at him in shock. She wasn't even showing yet and he somehow knew? Diomedes smiled at her and sat next to her on the bed.

"My wife, when she was pregnant with our first child would always have a hand on her stomach without realizing it."

They both looked down at her hands crossed over her stomach and Briseis blushed and smiled. She looked back to Diomedes and realized he meant her no harm.

"How many children do you have?"

Diomedes looked at her in surprise and then it dissolved into smiles.

"I have 3 so far, but both my wife and I want many more. I have two boys and one little girl, Dionedes, Dionos, and Diana."

He saw Briseis's smirk and chuckled.

"My wife named them. She thought it would be interesting to all be named with a D."

Briseis only laughed. Diomedes fell silent and got up, patting her shoulder as he left the room. Briseis watched him go with a heavy heart, hoping what he said about Achilles was true. She fell asleep imagining their children.

drama! and for those who have read the troy series by david gemmell, that is how i am portraying Diomedes except for his involvement with Hector's wife andromache...read the books they are awesome!


	5. The Scars of a Journey

A/N: I AM SO SORRY FOR THE SUPER LONG WAIT! I lost my drive for this story and life also got in the way. I am going to try and get this finished soon...sorry again and thanks for all the reviews!

Achilles POV

It seemed as though getting to troy was harder then leaving. Many of our boats had been destroyed in the ongoing war and able-bodied men not already busy rebuilding the ruined city were hard to find. As Odysseus and I labored to find a crew, word came that Briseis had been taken to Sparta.

It calmed me to know she was in the protection of my dear friend, Diomedes, but danger was still apparent. Diomedes's sister, Climeo, had been a lover of mine years ago in my younger years, but as my lust for her waned, her obsession only increased.

Diomedes thought it an amusing charade, but little did he know just how deadly his sister's affections could be. Already two had died merely because I showed them attention she felt was owed to her. one by poison and the other mysteriously found strangled in her own room. Climeo would not take the news of my lover being sheltered in her home lightly.

I could not write to Diomedes, who would never listen for he loved his sister dearly. Instead I had odysseus write to his wife, Andromeda, who knew the truth of Climeo's madness and would work to protect Briseis. I could only hope I arrived there in time to spirit her away from the machinations of the bitter woman.

We finally made way 2 weeks after I had received word from Diomedes. Our crew wasn't quite seaworthy, but it wasn't a long voyage and I didn't have time to spare. My thoughts were only of Briseis and taking her in my arms again. I suppose my thoughts should have been focused on the voyage and my young crew, but the gods saw fit to punish my wandering mind.

We were within 2 days sail of Sparta when the storm hit. Odysseus and I labored to keep the crew alive and the boat afloat, but were forced to race to the nearest land we could find. There on some uninhabited rock, our crew was halved and weakened by fighting the great storm. I was still regaining my strength from my wound and sailing through Poseidon's wrath had not helped my progress. Odysseus begged me to allow the crew another days rest on the island, but I foolishly forced onwards towards Sparta, unawares of the trouble the storm and my stubbornness had wrought.

Briseis POV

As I waited for Achilles to arrive, I took to wandering the palace and surrounding areas of Sparta. The lands and rolling hills reminded me of Troy and I took comfort in that. One day, as I walked through a shaded garden near the palace, I came upon a veiled woman.

She was tending to the flowers so lovingly that I hated to disturb her. I turned to find another place to explore when her voice rang out. "please feel no need to leave. I have seen you about the palace and have yet to meet you."

I turned as the women pulled back her veil. I almost gasped at the beautiful face revealed, but it was stolen by the sight of the horrid scar twisting one side of her mouth all the way to her ear. She smiled gently at my surprised face. "I am Climeo, the sister of Diomedes. You must be the Trojan women he saved from the tribesman."

I nodded and bent in a small bow. "My name is Briseis, Lady Climeo. I am indebted to your brother for saving my life and giving me refuge in his home." Climeo nodded and turned back to her flowers. "Were you not a princess of troy, Briseis? If so, you have no reason to bow or give me the title of lady. You are high above me in the eyes of the gods."

Briseis blinked at the reminder of her title and rushed to correct. "No, I think not my lady. I was a princess, but no longer. You are a lady for taking me into your home and greeting me with such kindness and generosity. I recently learned from someone that treating anyone poorer then you with disdain is not right. He also taught me not to give too much credence to what the gods see and judge." Briseis smiled sadly, but it faded as she watched a strange light come into the other woman's eyes.

Climeo looked Briseis up and down, as if taking her measure before saying, "I too used to know a man who said such things. A great warrior if I remember correctly. A great lover too." She smiled and watched with a strange fascination as Briseis blushed at the sudden memories of her time with Achilles.

Climeo began to move closer to Briseis as if to embrace her, but a clear voice cut through the tension suddenly between them. "Climeo! Briseis! I was looking for you both." Both women turned at the voice of Andromeda cutting through the air. She glided down the stairs toward them, a worried look on her face.

"Climeo, your brother is looking for you." Climeo only nodded and with a final look towards Briseis, reset her veil and walked towards the commons rooms. Once she was out of sight, Andromeda sighed and took a hold of Briseis's hand. "I do not want to worry you Briseis, but Climeo is not a woman you should be speaking to. She has—oh how should I put this?—strange thoughts about her relationship with Achilles. What little there was to speak of. Try to stay away from her if possible."

Briseis only nodded, looking back towards the veiled woman has left. "Achilles didn't hurt her, did he? Her face…" Andromeda looked aghast at the thought. "Oh no my dear! Achilles had nothing to do with her scar. From what I understand, it was obtained by accident." Andromeda hoped the quaver in her voice was not noticeable to the younger woman.

She did not want to tell her the scar was of Climeo's own making. She had done it in hopes of gaining Achilles's pity and therefore love and attention. She had just received his letter hours ago and went in search of Briseis to warn her but was too late. Climeo had realized her connection to Achilles and was probably already planning her demise.

Andromeda could only hope for his speedy arrival. She took a hold of Briseis's hand and led her away from the gardens. "Come my dear, lets get something to eat. Diomedes told me Achilles should be here any day now. In fact we expected him yesterday."

Andromeda stopped, realizing the tone of her words and watched as the blood drained from Briseis's face. "You don't think he has been delayed somehow? By a storm…or even a…I mean you hear stories about what is sleeping in the depths of the ocean."

Andromeda tried to laugh off the young woman's fears, but she was fearful herself of the trouble Achilles had found.

Ahg sorry for the cliff hanger! but hey new characters and plots!


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